The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's landmark climate report released earlier this year [2014] indicates that for every 1.8 degree Fahrenheit rise in temperatures, wildfire activity is expected to double.

BLM firefighters are trained to use controlled burns to reduce the hazard of a catastropich wildfire caused by excessive fuel buildup.

A combination of overgrown vegetation makes for a highly combustible environment, and potentially catastrophic results from wildfires.

BLM firefighting personnel engaged in suppression operations

The BLM works with other agencies and local communities in California to protect people, property and resources from wildfires. Coordination is key to meeting this challenge in a state with 38 million people, increasing development in the wildland urban interface and extreme fire conditions.